by Melody Anne
Her shoulders were slumped as she continued gazing out at the water. He didn’t tell her again it was time to go, he just hovered over her. The discussion wasn’t over, but Nick wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to say or do next. But he would feel a hell of a lot better if he could at least see her face.
After several moments, Chloe finally rose. Without looking at him, she began walking up the dock. He followed her, staying about a foot back the entire trail to the house. It felt like the damn green mile.
When they came in the back door, Chloe turned as if she were going to flee to her room. Nick wasn’t going to allow that. Without saying anything, he took her arm and steered her into his den. She didn’t fight him, but he felt the stiffness of her muscles as she reluctantly followed.
Nick took her to the couch and waited until she sat, then he moved to his bar and grabbed the good Scotch. Without hesitation he poured a glass and swallowed the amber liquid. The soothing numbness made its way down his throat but barely even touched his emotions. He’d probably have to down the entire bottle for that to happen.
“What do you want to drink?” The words were harsh. He didn’t care.
“I don’t want anything. I would just like to go to bed,” she said. He gazed at her as she shifted, her head down, her fingers twisting in her lap.
Nick placed some ice in a glass and poured her some Scotch, then he walked over and handed it to her. She took it with a confused expression. But after he stood over her for a few tense moments, she lifted the glass and took a sip. Her expression soured as the burning fluid made its way to her gut.
“If you’re trying to intimidate me, then it’s working, Nick,” she said after several more moments of silence. “I’m sorry I feel the way I do.” The last part came out with a bit of bite. She lifted the glass and forced herself to take another swallow, this time making herself cough. He stood there and waited.
“You’re employed by me, aren’t you?” he said, his voice deceptively calm again.
His words startled her enough to get her to look up at him this time. Her rounded eyes took in his appearance for the first time, and he saw a flicker of fear in her expression. Maybe his fury wasn’t hidden as well as he’d thought it was.
“Well, sort of,” she slowly said.
“There’s no sort of about it. You either are or you aren’t. Were you hired to do a job?” Nick hadn’t even known he could speak to someone so coldly before this moment. He didn’t necessarily like what she was making him become.
“I was hired to help you,” she said. “But you are fine now. I was going to tell you tonight that there’s no need for me to be here any longer.” Her words came out in a rush as if she might be afraid she wouldn’t say them if she didn’t speak quickly.
“The contract isn’t up,” he told her.
“Nick, you know you don’t need my help. You’re far enough now to do this on your own,” she said on a huff of impatience.
“I say when I think you’re done.” Damn, his voice was like ice.
“You are just wasting more money by trying to keep me here,” she told him with a bit of a glare.
“That’s not your call to make, Chloe.”
He moved back to the bar and poured himself another drink. The liquor still wasn’t calming him, but he feared how angry he’d be without the numbing fluid.
“I’m not your prisoner, Nick. I can leave anytime I want,” she informed him.
“Then go. Say good-bye to the deal you have with my uncle.”
He was satisfied when he saw her flinch. She needed the bonus she was promised. Probably to use the money to screw over some other man. Why in the hell wasn’t he kicking her the hell out of his house and his life? He honestly didn’t know.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stay,” she said.
Nick smiled. It wasn’t a smile of friendship and goodwill. It was that of a predator about to strike. He wasn’t willing to play the games Paul had told him to play, but he was certainly willing to get something from her before he sent her on her way.
Chloe lifted her glass and downed the rest of the liquid. He could see her nervously swallow as she shifted in her seat. He towered over her before leaning down, boxing her in. She gripped the glass tightly in her hands as he forced her to look at him.
Nick was silent as he read emotions flicker through her eyes: fear but also pain. If only he could rely on what he was seeing, but that was a huge risk. She’d been deceiving him, at least in part, for a couple of weeks. Could she be faking the emotions crossing her features now?
“Nick . . .” His name came out on a sigh. He moved closer. “I don’t want to play games with you. I have no doubt it’s something I won’t win,” she admitted.
He grinned at her. Maybe she wasn’t as foolish as he’d been thinking she was.
“There’s no doubt I’ll win,” he assured her.
“If you’re trying to scare me, congratulations, you’ve done it,” she said.
His smile grew, but there was no happiness in his expression.
“You should be scared, Chloe, you should be very afraid. I’m not even close to being done with you―not by a long shot. I don’t like being lied to and I don’t lose when I enter into a game. You started something with me, and now you’ll damn well finish it.”
He licked his lips as she gulped. If only he felt better.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
From the moment Nick had stepped out of the house, Chloe felt things were going to change―she felt it deep in her gut. The longer he’d been away, the more that feeling had grown. The day had become even worse for her when her father had called. By the end of that telephone call, she’d been trembling so badly she’d had to sit down, fighting tears she wouldn’t allow to slip.
But the day had continued to pass and still no sign of Nick. He’d met with his attorney. With him being gone so long, she knew it was a bad omen―knew that he was likely aware of who she was. The first thought had been to run. She’d wanted to pack her things and leave.
Something had made her stay, though. She’d been afraid her entire life—afraid of her father’s fists, afraid of failing the people she loved, afraid of ending up with the life her father said she deserved. She’d tried to make things better for herself, had gotten an education, had struck out on her own. But no matter how far she tried to get away, she couldn’t fight who she was or the family she’d been born into.
So this time she hadn’t run. It didn’t matter if Nick hated her―that was expected. What mattered was she’d been hired to do a job, and she was doing it successfully. He should have let her go already. He was fine on his own. But for some odd reason, he wanted her around. Maybe he hadn’t yet tired of the sex.
If Nick thought he could break her, though, he was very wrong. She’d been broken long ago, and there wasn’t anything he could do to her that would make it any worse. If only there wasn’t that small sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach telling her how very wrong she was.
She’d grown attached to Nick in the short time she’d been with him. She knew he wasn’t responsible for her brother’s death. If he were, she would have seen some sort of sign by now. But there was still that voice in her head―her father’s voice that told her he might be guilty.
And now she was trapped in front of him, his arms caging her in. She could have gotten away, but maybe she really didn’t want to. Maybe she was so messed up from the years of her father running her life, that she truly felt she deserved Nick’s wrath. Chloe honestly didn’t know.
The thing that terrified Chloe more than anything else was the fear that Nick would take so much from her, there wouldn’t be anything at all left. She didn’t think there was anything for him to take, but she’d been wrong so many times before. If he truly knew what an empty shell she was, he wouldn’t bother with the game he was playing.
She had no doubt he would eventually tire of whatever it was he was doing, though. She had nothing to give him but h
er body. But maybe that was enough to someone like Nick Armstrong, who already had the world at his fingertips. Chloe was a convenient distraction for him while he spent the required time mending his body. She was the one there helping to set him free. When he was where he needed to be, he would quickly discard her―and that was okay. It was what was expected.
What Chloe had never figured would happen would be the feelings she had developed for him. She had thought when it was all done, she’d walk away the victor, Nick placed behind bars, her heart beginning to heal from the loss of her brother.
She now knew she’d been naïve and foolish. Her father had been wrong and manipulative. She’d been shallow to follow his orders. And who had she thought she was that she could go head to head with Nick? Maybe it had been her last attempt to become the person she’d always dreamed of becoming. But she cared about this man, something she’d never expected, and perhaps she was in love with him, and to him she was nothing more than a convenient lay. She was unsure of so much.
One thing Chloe knew, though, was that even though she could see the fury in his eyes, could understand how angry he was with her, she didn’t fear his fists. If Nick thought for even a moment she was afraid he’d hit her, she’d probably send him staggering back on his feet. Instead of that making her feel better, it only made her guilt of ever suspecting him that much worse—because in addition to all his qualities he did have honor.
“I would pay money to know what is going on in that head of yours,” Nick growled.
Chloe trembled as his deep voice rumbled through her, his hot breath cascaded across her face, the heat of his body surrounding her in waves. He might pay money to know what she was thinking, but she’d give up everything she had to keep those thoughts from him. He already had too much power over her. There would be no way she’d give him more or hurt him with the truth. It took great strength on her part not to reach out to him. This might be the last time they were so close—it should be the last time. She wanted to memorize him, to have something to dream about. It was a foolish thought, but her thoughts were her own and she could have whatever ones she wanted.
And even though she would miss this man when she did leave, she knew she had to leave sooner rather than later. It had grown too complicated. She wanted to scurry away and try, once again, to rebuild her life.
“Maybe I was thinking about the moment I can escape you,” she said with just the right amount of bite she knew would infuriate him.
Nick’s eyes narrowed as he pulled back from her. His hands trembled as if he wanted to reach out and shake her. Chloe was impressed with his control. She’d be black and blue if she’d said such words to her father. Why had she ever believed her father when he’d said Nick was the reason her brother was dead?
If Chloe truly wanted to cast blame on anyone, it would be on her father. He’d pushed her hard, and he’d tormented her brother. Her dad was the reason Patrick had joined the Coast Guard, that’s why he’d taken the dangerous position of being a rescue swimmer. He’d wanted to impress the old man. And in death, her brother had finally managed to do so. So much so that their father wanted someone to be punished.
Nick paced in front of her, tossing his jacket on the floor, his tight shirt hiding nothing as his muscles bunched beneath the thin material. He was furious and confused and she could see he was trying to find the right words to hurl at her. She sat where she was, waiting. She’d earned this tongue thrashing, and she would take it gracefully.
When minutes passed in silence, Chloe sighed. She rose from the chair. He spun around and seared her with a look. She held her head up and faced him. He seemed surprised. Of course he was―he didn’t actually know anything about her.
“Just tell me what you need to say,” she said. There was strength in her words, though she didn’t know where she was pulling it from. Inside she was a trembling mess, but she was tired of showing the world how weak she was.
“How long did you and your father plan on taking me down?” Nick finally said, his voice controlled even if his eyes were wild. This time she wasn’t able to hide the tremble that racked her frame.
Chloe opened her mouth to answer him. She was prepared to tell him she’d been a part of the takedown from the beginning, but the words wouldn’t come out. She tried again, and her throat remained closed. She couldn’t say what she needed to say.
“What are you talking about?” she finally asked.
His eyes narrowed as he glared at her. He leaned in closer and she was afraid, but more afraid of hurting him than of telling him the truth. She didn’t want him to keep looking at her with such hatred. It was killing her.
He went still as he stared at her. Complete disbelief lit his features as he searched her face. She understood it. She never had been a good liar. But right now fear overrode everything else.
He moved closer to her as if he were trying to analyze her. She could see how very much he wanted to believe her, but there was mistrust in his expression, too. He knew too much to allow her to get away with the lie, but if he wanted it as badly as she did, then she could understand why there was a part of him willing to let it go. That gave her hope, but she didn’t want that hope. It was a lie, and it would come in and get her in the end. How could she ever start over with Nick with a clean slate?
“Please stop, Nick.” The tremble in her tone frustrated her. She wanted to be strong now, emotionless. If only she’d learned that lesson years ago, she wouldn’t have been hurt so many times in her life.
“I can’t seem to stop,” he said. There was confusion in his tone.
“I don’t even know what that means,” she told him as he slowly moved closer to her.
Chloe left her hand out in front of her, as if that could stop him. But there was nothing else she could do. The closer he got, the more vulnerable she felt.
He was slow and steady, making her feel like the zebra being circled by the lion. She wasn’t sure exactly when the attack would happen, but she had no doubt it would. She was certainly the prey. Nick would always be the predator.
“I can’t explain it,” he said with a sigh. “I just can’t seem to keep away from you.” He moved closer.
“Stop!” The word came out forcefully. He paused less than four feet away. He was so close she could smell his natural cologne, see the laugh lines next to his eyes, practically taste his breath. It was too close for her to think straight.
Chloe was stunned when Nick did as she asked, stopping where he was. When his lips turned up into a smile, she felt her mouth dropping open. She didn’t know what to think of this new turn in their crazy night.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
If he were yelling and screaming, she would know how to deal with that. With him switching moods so quickly, she was at a loss. His smile grew and then he leapt forward, making her heart thunder.
His arms caged her against the wall, his face leaning down. The look in his eyes was almost wild. Chloe wondered if he’d snapped, if he was about to strangle her. The thought wasn’t so much terrifying as depressing. If she were to die right then and there, would anyone even show up at her funeral? Would she be missed? The thought was too depressing to even think about.
“Because I’m a fool,” he told her, his hot breath rushing across her lips. Her body began to tremble, and she hated them both for the desire that began to flood her, the desire that overrode every other emotion she was dealing with.
His eyes swept her face before narrowing. A chill ran through her. This wasn’t the same man she’d known for the past three weeks―the man whose family adored him. The person boxing her in was a stranger. And damn her, but she still wanted him, still didn’t want him to push her away.
“I don’t like being lied to. I like being used even less,” he said. His words grew more husky. Her heart thundered as she stood motionless against the wall. “I thought you were different, but now I don’t know what to think.”
“What are you doing, Nick?” she asked, hat
ing the fear in her voice.
“I guess none of it matters. We can both be monsters, and we’re still drawn together. I don’t understand it,” he told her, his lips twisted into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“So you think you’ll feel better if you punish me?” she challenged.
That wiped his smile away. He seemed taken aback by her words. His body loosened, and his face relaxed slightly. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, and then he closed it again. After a long moment he seemed to regain his footing. He moved closer again.
“Do you want me to back away from you, Chloe? Do you want this to stop?” he challenged. One hand moved to her shoulder, and she was still as he ran his finger down her neck, over the top of her breast, and across her nipple, which instantly responded. There was triumph in his eyes as she gasped.
“You’re a bastard, Nick,” she told him.
“I might be, but that doesn’t change the fact that you want me,” he told her.
She desperately wanted to deny his words. But they would both know she was lying, would both know it was nothing more than air escaping in a last attempt to save her sanity. She knew if she told him to let her go, he would do just that. And he wouldn’t be any worse for the wear if she walked away. Only she would be hurting.
So what did that mean? What was she to do?
“Believing in magic doesn’t make it real. You either grow up, as you so emphatically told me, and face reality, or eventually you’ll crash and burn,” he told her.
Sucking in her breath she glared at him. “Are you talking about yourself or me?” she asked.
“I guess that’s yet to be seen,” he said as if he’d already won his little battle. The problem with a war was that there had to be a loser, and Chloe had no doubt she was the only one to be defeated in this battle Nick had waged.
